The Funeral: Chapter 7
Title: The Funeral: Chapter 7
Authors: shelbecat and rachel_wilder
Rating: T (aka PG-13)
Summary: Continuing from Reunion and The Wedding, we follow our characters through the highs and lows of a five year span until we reach The Funeral.
The Funeral
Chapter 7
August, 2024
Julie smiled gratefully at her father as he handed her a tray of food through the open door to the deck. EJ, Andrew and Hannah were impatiently banging their little fists on the kitchen table, chanting, "Hot Dogs! Hot Dogs!"
She had to smile. Her kids certainly did know how to take her mind off Landry's death.
Jade was seated next to Hannah and stood now to take the tray from Julie. "I can feed the kids," she said quietly.
"Are you sure?" Julie asked, but she was glad for the offer. She wanted to make sure Matt ate something-he'd been too quiet all day and she worried how much the funeral tomorrow was weighing on his mind.
"Yeah," Jade replied. "I want a chance to play with my niece." The tall brunette rubbed Hannah's long blonde hair lovingly.
"Well I'm glad you came over. And ask your mother to stop in when she comes back to get you, okay?" Julie had only met Anne once, but she knew that Anne and Jade had spent time with Landry over the past few years. It had to be hard on her as well.
Walking into the living room, Julie checked to see that everyone had a plate of food in their hands. Smash was talking with Tim in the corner. Her mother was asking Jake about football while both of them ate off the paper plates in their hands. And Matt sat next to Tyra on the couch, both of them holding plates of untouched food.
Julie walked over and sat down next to Matt. "You should eat," she said, looking at both him and Tyra.
Tyra looked down at her food and picked up a carrot stick. She took a half-hearted bite and then placed the rest on the coffee table.
"Tyra," Julie said.
But Tyra just shook her head.
Matt shoveled a forkful of coleslaw into his mouth. "Got to keep my strength up for the eulogy, right?"
His face looked almost green as he glanced down at his plate.
"Fine," Julie said, taking Matt's plate and placing it beside Tyra's. "But you both should eat something. A roll, maybe?"
Tyra gave a small smile and accepted the bread roll from Julie. It wasn't much, but Julie felt a small sense of satisfaction as Tyra took bird-sized bites from it.
"We are a pitiful bunch," Julie commented, looking around. "Landry would be so mad right now."
"You're right," Smash said, stepping closer. "You got any of that twangy country stuff he played?"
"Signed copies," Julie said proudly, reaching for the stereo remote. She pressed a button and an upbeat tune from Hometown Hero's latest album wafted from the speakers.
They listened quietly for a moment, then Smash laughed. "I don't know how y'all listen to this stuff. But if it's Landry..."
"You get used to it," Tim replied gruffly.
"Yeah? Come on now, Riggs. You dance to this stuff in your tightie-whitie's every night. Tell the God's-honest-truth."
"In your dreams, Williams," Tim replied, a smile peaking at the corners of his mouth.
"What's your favorite song?" Tami asked no one in particular.
"I Shot My Dog," Jake and Tim replied in unison.
"That's a song?" Eric asked as he entered the room.
Jake laughed. "Uncle Landry wrote it for me after JoJo died. I was...twelve?"
"Yeah," Tim replied. "That dog was a pain in my ass."
"Tim!" Tyra said.
"Well you never got up to let him out at night. And he wouldn't stop barking."
"So anyway," Jake continued. "He got sick and we had to put him down. And I was bawling, and Landry said it was better than having to shoot him myself. Then he wrote the song."
"Oh that is positively awful," Tami said, but she was smiling.
"Mine is As Big As Texas," Julie said. "My truck is as big as Texas. My house is as big as Texas. My name is as big as Texas. And my...duh, duh, duh..." She raised her arms up over her hand and belted out the last lyric. "Hell yes, as big as Texas."
Everyone laughed; Smash let out a howl; and Matt looked at her like he couldn't believe she was the woman he had married.
"What?" Julie said innocently. "It's a good song!"
The track on the CD ended and a ballad started up. The clear notes from Landry's guitar could be heard before the gentle lyrics cut in.
"He wrote this one," Tyra said softly, laying her half-eaten roll aside. "When Hannah was born." She took in a long, shuddering breath but somehow managed not to cry.
"I remember that day," Julie said. "We were at his and Ken's cottage and Tim called us. You went early."
"Yeah," Tim chimed in. "We had to force him to take that vacation; he had been traveling so much. But he didn't want to miss the birth."
"Who knew I'd go three weeks early?" Tyra said.
Matt smiled. "He and Ken took off out of there without even leaving us the keys. We had to stay there until the next day when Ken came back to lock the place up." He was quiet for a moment. "That was a great spot. I'm going to miss it."
"Well it's yours now," Tyra said suddenly.
"What?" Matt and Julie said in unison.
"Tyra," Tim said, his voice low.
"What?" Tyra replied to Tim. "They're going to find out when the will is read anyway." She turned back to Matt and Julie. "Landry wanted you guys to have it if anything...well, you know..."
The cottage was worth more than their house in Dillon. It was a beautiful gift, and one Julie wished they didn't have to accept. "I thought he'd just leave everything to his parents," she said, still in shock.
Tyra glanced up at Tim, who looked irritated suddenly, then looked down at her hands. "I helped Landry make out his will last year. He made sure his parents were taken care of, and you two, of course. But most of it..." She looked over at Jake and then back to Julie. "Most of it is for Jake and Hannah. He would have given them the world."
Tim shook his head and stood up. He looked down at Tyra, then shook his head again. "I'm gonna get some fresh air," he mumbled as he walked out of the room.
Tears shone in Tyra's eyes and Julie couldn't help herself from welling up as well. "It's the right thing," she said, looking at Matt whose eyes were shimmering.
She wiped her eyes and laughed. Reaching out for the stereo remote, she changed tracks until she found an upbeat song. "Landry would call this a pitiful party!"
Jason watched his wife walk up the driveway in front of him. Her stance was tilted to one side, her arm weighed down with the infant carrier she carried. In her other hand, she gripped the little boy's hand-their son's hand-tightly.
The image was beautiful enough to make him cry.
Pausing at the bottom of the stairs leading to Matt and Julie's front door, Lyla turned, the obvious question unspoken on her lips.
"I'll go around back," Jason replied.
He'd been here before, and there was no easy way into Matt and Julie's split entry house. The land sloped downward on the backside of the house with a deck hanging off the main floor and a patio leading out from the basement door. If he wanted to go upstairs, he'd have to rely on someone to carry him up the steps. He hated having his disability on display that way, but he'd done it before, and it was important to be here to mourn the loss of Landry with their friends.
Preoccupied with thoughts of the last time they'd been here-just after EJ's christening when Landry sat in a deck chair until well after nightfall playing soft tunes on his guitar-Jason didn't notice the figure standing on the patio until he almost banged into him. He stopped and looked up. Right into the piercing eyes of Tim Riggins.
Jason's voice caught in his throat as he stared up at Tim. His face was so familiar, and yet Jason hadn't seen him in over three years. It had been too long. And it was all Jason's fault.
"Tim, I..." He didn't know what to say. What did you say to the man who used to know all your secrets, and now barely knew you at all?
"Are you the welcoming committee?" Jason finally choked out, trying to lighten the mood.
Tim looked away and stepped towards the rear of the deck, staring out over the backyard.
"Had to get some air," he mumbled.
Jason hesitated, looking at the basement door leading to the house, where Lyla would be expecting his help with the children...with their children.
Then he turned and rolled silently over to park next to Tim.
They stayed there in silence for a long moment, then Jason cleared his throat. "Look..."
But Tim interrupted him, his voice quiet in the soft evening air.
"I thought I was paying you back," Tim started. "When you got hurt, I was so mad. So mad at you, Jay." He looked down at Jason, his eyes slipping off Jason's face too quickly.
"I blamed you for everything. For leaving me alone. For abandoning me." Tim shook his head. "So stupid."
"Tim, I'm so sorry," Jason tried again. He reached up to brush his knuckles against the back of Tim's hand.
But Tim turned to the side, dropping away from Jason's reach.
"I've got a little girl. A little girl that's three years old and has never met her godparents. You think that's fair?"
Jason bowed his head away from Tim's penetrating stare. He deserved all Tim had to throw at him, but it didn't make it sting any less.
Tim turned again, staring out over the expanse of lawn, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. "I did the leaving back then, Six. You had nothing to do with it."
He looked down at Jason. Tim didn't need to say the words; Jason already knew what they were. This time around the blame fell squarely on Jason. And he didn't know how he could ever make it up to his friend.
"I'd like to meet Hannah, if you'd let me. Let us," Jason said quietly.
Tim nodded. "I think Tyra would like that."
"And you?" Jason pressed.
Tim was quiet, then he turned to face Jason full on. "I would have been there for you. I would have done anything to help you. And I needed you bad back then. I got a daughter you've never even met. And a little sister besides that. You think you can erase three years in one night?"
"No." Jason shook his head. "No I don't. But I'd like to start trying."
Tim bent over, his hands pressing hard against his knees. Slowly he lowered himself to the ground next to Jason, leaning back to support himself with his hands.
"I visit Jesse's grave every year," Tim said.
Jason couldn't take anymore. Tears dripped from his eyes, falling to his hands sitting useless in his lap. How could the pain still be so fresh? After all this time, and now with two little children to care for, how could he still mourn the son that never was?
"It hurts so bad, Timmy. I never even knew him, and it burns."
"I know, Six," Tim said quietly from his seat next to him. Slowly, he raised his hand up and tapped Jason's knee softly. "I know."
They sat in silence together-the kind of comfortable silence that you could only find with an old friend. Jason knew he'd had his reasons for shutting Tim out, but they seemed so insignificant now. This was the way things should be. This was the person he wanted to be his children's godfather.
"So I might have a couple of people for you to meet," Jason said.
The back door opening interrupted him. "Lyla was worried you got lost," Eric said as he stepped out onto the patio.
"Uh, sorry, Coach," Tim said as he stood up.
"Nice looking kids, Jason," Eric said as Matt walked out of the door behind him.
"Kids?" Tim asked.
Jason smiled. "I was just going to tell you." He grinned. "But I only found out about them a few days ago myself!"
Tim nodded, then a slow smile broke across his face. "You're gonna make a great father."
"Yeah, if I can ever get into the house."
"You need a hand?" Matt asked Jason.
"Yeah, sure," Jason replied. He glanced over at Tim as Matt grabbed onto the front of his chair and lifted it over the door jamb into the house. Tim reached under the backside of the chair to hold onto the frame there and they seemed to lift him effortlessly.
It wasn't much of reconciliation, but as Tim and Matt carried Jason up the stairs to the main floor, he smiled. He'd made the first step, and Tim hadn't shut him down. Maybe something good would come out of this horrible day after all.
"You have to let me hold that beautiful little baby," Tami said as she held her hands out to Lyla.
Lyla passed the baby over to Tami, who effortlessly slid the tiny baby into the crook of her arm.
"I'm a little afraid of her," Lyla said softly.
Tami looked down into the baby's sweet face, her mouth like a jewel, her eyes closed as she slept. "You'll know what to do," she replied, as she looked up and met Lyla's eyes with a smile.
"It's just I spent so much time trying to figure out how to get pregnant that I never spent any time on reading about what you need to do to be a good parent."
"Love your children," Tyra said as she sat down on the couch next to Tami. "Oh, Lyla-she's gorgeous."
Lyla looked down at the little girl, then up at Tyra. "And you have a daughter?" she said hesitantly.
Tyra's mouth formed a straight line, her jaw working beneath her skin. Finally she nodded, and raised her head to meet Lyla's gaze. "Was it worth it?" she asked, her voice riddled with pain.
Tears sprung to Lyla's eyes and she shook her head quickly. "No, no it wasn't," she replied as the tears spilled over onto her cheeks.
Reaching across Tami's lap where the baby lay, Tyra pulled Lyla into a hug. "I missed you," she whispered into her friend's ear.
Lyla felt the floodgates open up as she gripped tightly to Tyra. She had needed a good friend over the past three years. And it was stupid to have blocked Tyra from her life over something no one had any control over.
"I would really like to meet her," Lyla said, pulling back and wiping her eyes.
"You will," Tyra said, wiping at her own eyes. "I think she's with EJ."
Julie spoke up as the reentered the room. "Yeah, I brought Dylan up to the boys' room and Hannah took his hand right away. They're building a castle."
"I know Jason wants to meet her too. I should go find him," Lyla said as she stood up.
"I sent Dad and Matt down to find them," Julie responded.
Lyla sat back down and looked over at the baby. She had missed out on Tim and Tyra's baby both times around. She wasn't going to let them miss out on all of her daughter's firsts.
"So," Tami began as she lifted the baby up and held her against her shoulder. "Does this baby have a name?"
Lyla let out a light laugh and shook her head. "No. We talked about it all the way down here and we can't agree."
"I like Josie," Jason said as he wheeled into the room.
"And I like Amy," Lyla replied.
"How about Judy?" Eric said.
"Or Lucy?" Matt offered.
"Susie?" Smash added.
"No!" Jason and Lyla shouted together.
"Well I like Gabrielle," Tami said.
"Gabby Street?" Julie asked, wrinkling up her nose.
Lyla laughed and reached over to smooth down the baby's hair. "What is your name, little one?"
"Momma?" a small voice called out.
Lyla looked up at the tiny blonde girl standing in the doorway of the living room. She was looking around with wide eyes as if she couldn't find her mother in the crowd of people. But Lyla knew exactly who her mother was. The child looked like Tyra for all the world.
"Yes, baby," Tyra said, reaching out her arms as Hannah hurried over.
"There lots of boys and only one me. I want a little girl to play with."
Tyra laughed and hugged Hannah to her chest. "Well there's a little girl here," she said, pointing down at the baby. "Maybe you can play with her when she's a little bit older."
"What her name is?" Hannah asked.
Lyla smiled. "Well she's my little girl but she's brand new and we don't know what to name her yet. Do you have any favorite names?"
Hannah climbed down from Tyra's lap and walked around towards Lyla. She stared down at the baby as Tami held the child out for a better view. Finally, Hannah turned and looked up at Lyla.
"I have one name left. You can call it to her."
"She has a list of reserve names for her dolls," Tyra explained.
"Oh, I see," Lyla said, looking at Hannah seriously. "Can you tell me what it is?" She really hoped it wasn't Esmeralda or something. They would have a hard time explaining that one.
"Emma," Hannah said firmly. "Her name Emma." Then she turned to Tim. "You have cookies, Daddy?"
Everyone laughed as Tim bent down and swooped Hannah up into his arms. The sound of stomping feet could be heard as three little boys came charging downstairs into the living room.
"We want cookies!" EJ yelled, the obvious leader of the bunch. He ran over to Matt while Andrew attacked Eric's leg.
Lyla took in Dylan's flushed face, the look of apprehension painted there. Her heart ached as she watched the little boy stare around the room. Then pure peace filled her chest as Dylan slowly walked over to Jason and stood before him, waiting to be picked up.
"Come on up, buddy," Jason said, giving the child a hand. "Hannah was giving us a name for your sister. What do you think of Emma?"
Dylan shrugged and leaned further back against Jason's chest.
Lyla watched Jason's face carefully. "Emma?" she asked softly. Jason nodded.
"Emma," Lyla repeated softly, reaching out to take her daughter as Tami handed her back. It was perfect. Jason, Lyla, Dylan and Emma Street. Her family.
"Come on kids," Tami said, standing up. "Grandma knows where all the best cookies are kept."
Dylan scrambled down from Jason's lap to chase the other kids out to the kitchen. Lyla couldn't have been happier.
"Now this is what Landry would have wanted," Julie said, beaming at the crowd of old friends.
"Good friends and good memories," Smash added.
"It's been too long," Jason said, glancing up at Tim standing next to him.
"Yeah," Tim replied. "And then you go bringing a couple of kids into the mix. Way to warn us, Six."
"Hey, yesterday we thought we were getting one little girl," Jason said, smiling as he looked over at Lyla. "We were a little shocked ourselves."
"He's going to be a real heartbreaker," Eric said, clapping Jason on the shoulder.
"Probably," Jason said.
"You just make sure you keep your son away from my little girl, Streeter," Tim warned.
The room dissolved into laughter again. Grinning, Lyla leaned back into the couch and looked around. It felt so right to be back here again. Almost like they had never left. She only wished Landry could be here with them right now. It would never be the same without him.
Matt walked slowly back up the steps from the basement. The house was quiet-everyone had headed back to their hotel or parents' house for the night. He stopped to pick up a couple of paper plates that were sitting on the kitchen table where the kids had been eating earlier. He pressed the lever to open the lid to the garbage can and sighed. It was stuffed full of garbage from the evening. He loosened the bag from the can and pulled it out, tied it closed and set it on the floor.
Tomorrow was garbage day.
Tomorrow was Landry's funeral.
"Hi, I'm Landry Clarke and I don't play football and my dad is a cop and I'm going to tour the world with Up With People when I'm older."
Matt just stared at the kid standing in front of him, his skin beat red and his hair no longer than an eighth of an inch. The U-Haul hadn't been in front of his grandma's house for more than twenty minutes.
"I am more than happy to be your friend because I know it's hard to come to a new town and if you don't play football, it's going to be hard to break into things here," the kid said, hardly taking a breath between the words.
"Uh, I play," Matt said quietly.
"You?" Landry said. "You play football? I mean, cause you're kind of scrawny and I just didn't take you for a kid who'd play football."
"I played in Oklahoma," Matt explained.
Landry looked him up and down. "What position? Cause you're clearly not on the offensive line. Wide receiver?"
"Quarterback," Matt replied quietly.
"Oh," Landry replied. "Wow-that's too bad."
"Why?" Matt asked. Was this kid against quarterbacks?
"Oh, I mean, I'm sure you're real good and all, but Jason Street is only two years older than you and he's been first string since he started pee wees in the third grade. He started playing with the varsity squad in 8th grade, playing back-up to Tom Reed and Tom, he was real good, but a few times Jason even got to play in an actual game. Yeah, you better just get used to not playing very much at all. I mean, my dad says that Jason Street is going to be in the NFL someday."
Matt just stared at this weird kid.
"So, you're pretty lucky cause I'm gonna be friends with you anyway," Landry added.
"You get anything written?"
Matt looked up to see that Julie had walked into the kitchen. He shook his head. She walked over and slipped her arm around his waist and leaned her head against his arm.
"You'll figure it out," she said. "Can I get you anything?"
Matt shook his head again. He wanted to explain to Julie how he was feeling, but how could he put into words how he felt about Landry. Julie was his wife and he loved her more than almost anything in the whole world.
But not as much as he loved his friend Landry Clarke. He just didn't think he'd be able to live without him.
Joanne Street was just finishing washing the supper dishes when she heard a car pull up in the driveway.
"They're here!" she called to her husband. She headed toward the front door and opened it up to reveal-Buddy Garrity.
"Oh, Buddy," she said as she wiped her damp hands on the towel she was holding. "I thought you were Jason and Lyla."
"Lyla called a couple of minutes to say they were on their way over and asked me to come over," Buddy explained as he walked into the living room.
"Can I get you something, Buddy?" Mitch asked as he walked into the room.
"Sure, Mitch," Buddy replied. "Some tea-or something stiffer if you have it."
Joanne used every ounce of restraint that she had to not roll her eyes. She hadn't seen the kids in months and Jason had been so mysterious on the phone. Something was clearly going on and she wasn't sure she needed the extra drama of Buddy Garrity around when Jason and Lyla got there.
"Damn shame about the Clarke kid," Buddy said as he accepted a bottle of beer from Mitch.
Mitch took a seat on the couch and set down the beer he had brought for himself. "It sure was-I saw Chad down at the bakery yesterday. He seemed like it hadn't really sunk in."
Headlights from Jason and Lyla's car flashed across the front window of the house. Joanne dropped her towel and reached for the door.
She pulled the door open and stepped out, then stopped.
"Oh!" she called as she raised her hand up to clap over her mouth. She wanted to rush over to the car, but she couldn't move.
Lyla was opening the back door and helping a little boy out of a car seat. There was another car seat next to the little boy's.
"Joanne?" Lyla called to her. "Can you give me a hand?"
Joanne nodded, still unable to speak. She walked down the sidewalk to the car where the little boy was standing next to the door. She knelt down next to him as Lyla opened up the hatch in the back of the car and pulled out Jason's wheelchair.
"I'm Dylan," the little boy said.
Joanne just looked at him. He was beautiful. She stared at his big eyes, his dark hair...
"Mom?"
She looked up to find Jason, in his chair, holding a baby in his arms. Lyla was standing behind him.
"Do you want to hold her?" he asked.
She nodded, holding out her arms to her son. She leaned in and took the baby from him. She was so small.
Joanne sank back down to the ground, next to the little boy, with the little girl in her arms. She looked up, first at Jason, then to Lyla and then finally to Buddy and Mitch who had come out and were standing on the front steps.
"Surprise," Lyla said as she smiled at them. "It's a boy..."
"And a girl," Jason finished.
"I'm Dylan," the little boy said again. "And that is my sister, Emma. Right?" He looked back to Lyla for confirmation, who nodded. Then Dylan tilted his head and stared back at Joanne. "Who are you?"
Joanne looked down at Emma sleeping in her arms and then at Dylan. "I'm your grandma," she said as she reached out to stroke the soft skin on his cheek. "I'm your grandma, Dylan."
/tbc/
Disclaimer: All characters who appear in these stories belong to their respective creators, including Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio and Film 44.
Authors' Note: Thanks once again to our fabulous beta, devilc.
Authors: shelbecat and rachel_wilder
Rating: T (aka PG-13)
Summary: Continuing from Reunion and The Wedding, we follow our characters through the highs and lows of a five year span until we reach The Funeral.
The Funeral
Chapter 7
August, 2024
Julie smiled gratefully at her father as he handed her a tray of food through the open door to the deck. EJ, Andrew and Hannah were impatiently banging their little fists on the kitchen table, chanting, "Hot Dogs! Hot Dogs!"
She had to smile. Her kids certainly did know how to take her mind off Landry's death.
Jade was seated next to Hannah and stood now to take the tray from Julie. "I can feed the kids," she said quietly.
"Are you sure?" Julie asked, but she was glad for the offer. She wanted to make sure Matt ate something-he'd been too quiet all day and she worried how much the funeral tomorrow was weighing on his mind.
"Yeah," Jade replied. "I want a chance to play with my niece." The tall brunette rubbed Hannah's long blonde hair lovingly.
"Well I'm glad you came over. And ask your mother to stop in when she comes back to get you, okay?" Julie had only met Anne once, but she knew that Anne and Jade had spent time with Landry over the past few years. It had to be hard on her as well.
Walking into the living room, Julie checked to see that everyone had a plate of food in their hands. Smash was talking with Tim in the corner. Her mother was asking Jake about football while both of them ate off the paper plates in their hands. And Matt sat next to Tyra on the couch, both of them holding plates of untouched food.
Julie walked over and sat down next to Matt. "You should eat," she said, looking at both him and Tyra.
Tyra looked down at her food and picked up a carrot stick. She took a half-hearted bite and then placed the rest on the coffee table.
"Tyra," Julie said.
But Tyra just shook her head.
Matt shoveled a forkful of coleslaw into his mouth. "Got to keep my strength up for the eulogy, right?"
His face looked almost green as he glanced down at his plate.
"Fine," Julie said, taking Matt's plate and placing it beside Tyra's. "But you both should eat something. A roll, maybe?"
Tyra gave a small smile and accepted the bread roll from Julie. It wasn't much, but Julie felt a small sense of satisfaction as Tyra took bird-sized bites from it.
"We are a pitiful bunch," Julie commented, looking around. "Landry would be so mad right now."
"You're right," Smash said, stepping closer. "You got any of that twangy country stuff he played?"
"Signed copies," Julie said proudly, reaching for the stereo remote. She pressed a button and an upbeat tune from Hometown Hero's latest album wafted from the speakers.
They listened quietly for a moment, then Smash laughed. "I don't know how y'all listen to this stuff. But if it's Landry..."
"You get used to it," Tim replied gruffly.
"Yeah? Come on now, Riggs. You dance to this stuff in your tightie-whitie's every night. Tell the God's-honest-truth."
"In your dreams, Williams," Tim replied, a smile peaking at the corners of his mouth.
"What's your favorite song?" Tami asked no one in particular.
"I Shot My Dog," Jake and Tim replied in unison.
"That's a song?" Eric asked as he entered the room.
Jake laughed. "Uncle Landry wrote it for me after JoJo died. I was...twelve?"
"Yeah," Tim replied. "That dog was a pain in my ass."
"Tim!" Tyra said.
"Well you never got up to let him out at night. And he wouldn't stop barking."
"So anyway," Jake continued. "He got sick and we had to put him down. And I was bawling, and Landry said it was better than having to shoot him myself. Then he wrote the song."
"Oh that is positively awful," Tami said, but she was smiling.
"Mine is As Big As Texas," Julie said. "My truck is as big as Texas. My house is as big as Texas. My name is as big as Texas. And my...duh, duh, duh..." She raised her arms up over her hand and belted out the last lyric. "Hell yes, as big as Texas."
Everyone laughed; Smash let out a howl; and Matt looked at her like he couldn't believe she was the woman he had married.
"What?" Julie said innocently. "It's a good song!"
The track on the CD ended and a ballad started up. The clear notes from Landry's guitar could be heard before the gentle lyrics cut in.
"He wrote this one," Tyra said softly, laying her half-eaten roll aside. "When Hannah was born." She took in a long, shuddering breath but somehow managed not to cry.
"I remember that day," Julie said. "We were at his and Ken's cottage and Tim called us. You went early."
"Yeah," Tim chimed in. "We had to force him to take that vacation; he had been traveling so much. But he didn't want to miss the birth."
"Who knew I'd go three weeks early?" Tyra said.
Matt smiled. "He and Ken took off out of there without even leaving us the keys. We had to stay there until the next day when Ken came back to lock the place up." He was quiet for a moment. "That was a great spot. I'm going to miss it."
"Well it's yours now," Tyra said suddenly.
"What?" Matt and Julie said in unison.
"Tyra," Tim said, his voice low.
"What?" Tyra replied to Tim. "They're going to find out when the will is read anyway." She turned back to Matt and Julie. "Landry wanted you guys to have it if anything...well, you know..."
The cottage was worth more than their house in Dillon. It was a beautiful gift, and one Julie wished they didn't have to accept. "I thought he'd just leave everything to his parents," she said, still in shock.
Tyra glanced up at Tim, who looked irritated suddenly, then looked down at her hands. "I helped Landry make out his will last year. He made sure his parents were taken care of, and you two, of course. But most of it..." She looked over at Jake and then back to Julie. "Most of it is for Jake and Hannah. He would have given them the world."
Tim shook his head and stood up. He looked down at Tyra, then shook his head again. "I'm gonna get some fresh air," he mumbled as he walked out of the room.
Tears shone in Tyra's eyes and Julie couldn't help herself from welling up as well. "It's the right thing," she said, looking at Matt whose eyes were shimmering.
She wiped her eyes and laughed. Reaching out for the stereo remote, she changed tracks until she found an upbeat song. "Landry would call this a pitiful party!"
Jason watched his wife walk up the driveway in front of him. Her stance was tilted to one side, her arm weighed down with the infant carrier she carried. In her other hand, she gripped the little boy's hand-their son's hand-tightly.
The image was beautiful enough to make him cry.
Pausing at the bottom of the stairs leading to Matt and Julie's front door, Lyla turned, the obvious question unspoken on her lips.
"I'll go around back," Jason replied.
He'd been here before, and there was no easy way into Matt and Julie's split entry house. The land sloped downward on the backside of the house with a deck hanging off the main floor and a patio leading out from the basement door. If he wanted to go upstairs, he'd have to rely on someone to carry him up the steps. He hated having his disability on display that way, but he'd done it before, and it was important to be here to mourn the loss of Landry with their friends.
Preoccupied with thoughts of the last time they'd been here-just after EJ's christening when Landry sat in a deck chair until well after nightfall playing soft tunes on his guitar-Jason didn't notice the figure standing on the patio until he almost banged into him. He stopped and looked up. Right into the piercing eyes of Tim Riggins.
Jason's voice caught in his throat as he stared up at Tim. His face was so familiar, and yet Jason hadn't seen him in over three years. It had been too long. And it was all Jason's fault.
"Tim, I..." He didn't know what to say. What did you say to the man who used to know all your secrets, and now barely knew you at all?
"Are you the welcoming committee?" Jason finally choked out, trying to lighten the mood.
Tim looked away and stepped towards the rear of the deck, staring out over the backyard.
"Had to get some air," he mumbled.
Jason hesitated, looking at the basement door leading to the house, where Lyla would be expecting his help with the children...with their children.
Then he turned and rolled silently over to park next to Tim.
They stayed there in silence for a long moment, then Jason cleared his throat. "Look..."
But Tim interrupted him, his voice quiet in the soft evening air.
"I thought I was paying you back," Tim started. "When you got hurt, I was so mad. So mad at you, Jay." He looked down at Jason, his eyes slipping off Jason's face too quickly.
"I blamed you for everything. For leaving me alone. For abandoning me." Tim shook his head. "So stupid."
"Tim, I'm so sorry," Jason tried again. He reached up to brush his knuckles against the back of Tim's hand.
But Tim turned to the side, dropping away from Jason's reach.
"I've got a little girl. A little girl that's three years old and has never met her godparents. You think that's fair?"
Jason bowed his head away from Tim's penetrating stare. He deserved all Tim had to throw at him, but it didn't make it sting any less.
Tim turned again, staring out over the expanse of lawn, his hands tucked deep into his pockets. "I did the leaving back then, Six. You had nothing to do with it."
He looked down at Jason. Tim didn't need to say the words; Jason already knew what they were. This time around the blame fell squarely on Jason. And he didn't know how he could ever make it up to his friend.
"I'd like to meet Hannah, if you'd let me. Let us," Jason said quietly.
Tim nodded. "I think Tyra would like that."
"And you?" Jason pressed.
Tim was quiet, then he turned to face Jason full on. "I would have been there for you. I would have done anything to help you. And I needed you bad back then. I got a daughter you've never even met. And a little sister besides that. You think you can erase three years in one night?"
"No." Jason shook his head. "No I don't. But I'd like to start trying."
Tim bent over, his hands pressing hard against his knees. Slowly he lowered himself to the ground next to Jason, leaning back to support himself with his hands.
"I visit Jesse's grave every year," Tim said.
Jason couldn't take anymore. Tears dripped from his eyes, falling to his hands sitting useless in his lap. How could the pain still be so fresh? After all this time, and now with two little children to care for, how could he still mourn the son that never was?
"It hurts so bad, Timmy. I never even knew him, and it burns."
"I know, Six," Tim said quietly from his seat next to him. Slowly, he raised his hand up and tapped Jason's knee softly. "I know."
They sat in silence together-the kind of comfortable silence that you could only find with an old friend. Jason knew he'd had his reasons for shutting Tim out, but they seemed so insignificant now. This was the way things should be. This was the person he wanted to be his children's godfather.
"So I might have a couple of people for you to meet," Jason said.
The back door opening interrupted him. "Lyla was worried you got lost," Eric said as he stepped out onto the patio.
"Uh, sorry, Coach," Tim said as he stood up.
"Nice looking kids, Jason," Eric said as Matt walked out of the door behind him.
"Kids?" Tim asked.
Jason smiled. "I was just going to tell you." He grinned. "But I only found out about them a few days ago myself!"
Tim nodded, then a slow smile broke across his face. "You're gonna make a great father."
"Yeah, if I can ever get into the house."
"You need a hand?" Matt asked Jason.
"Yeah, sure," Jason replied. He glanced over at Tim as Matt grabbed onto the front of his chair and lifted it over the door jamb into the house. Tim reached under the backside of the chair to hold onto the frame there and they seemed to lift him effortlessly.
It wasn't much of reconciliation, but as Tim and Matt carried Jason up the stairs to the main floor, he smiled. He'd made the first step, and Tim hadn't shut him down. Maybe something good would come out of this horrible day after all.
"You have to let me hold that beautiful little baby," Tami said as she held her hands out to Lyla.
Lyla passed the baby over to Tami, who effortlessly slid the tiny baby into the crook of her arm.
"I'm a little afraid of her," Lyla said softly.
Tami looked down into the baby's sweet face, her mouth like a jewel, her eyes closed as she slept. "You'll know what to do," she replied, as she looked up and met Lyla's eyes with a smile.
"It's just I spent so much time trying to figure out how to get pregnant that I never spent any time on reading about what you need to do to be a good parent."
"Love your children," Tyra said as she sat down on the couch next to Tami. "Oh, Lyla-she's gorgeous."
Lyla looked down at the little girl, then up at Tyra. "And you have a daughter?" she said hesitantly.
Tyra's mouth formed a straight line, her jaw working beneath her skin. Finally she nodded, and raised her head to meet Lyla's gaze. "Was it worth it?" she asked, her voice riddled with pain.
Tears sprung to Lyla's eyes and she shook her head quickly. "No, no it wasn't," she replied as the tears spilled over onto her cheeks.
Reaching across Tami's lap where the baby lay, Tyra pulled Lyla into a hug. "I missed you," she whispered into her friend's ear.
Lyla felt the floodgates open up as she gripped tightly to Tyra. She had needed a good friend over the past three years. And it was stupid to have blocked Tyra from her life over something no one had any control over.
"I would really like to meet her," Lyla said, pulling back and wiping her eyes.
"You will," Tyra said, wiping at her own eyes. "I think she's with EJ."
Julie spoke up as the reentered the room. "Yeah, I brought Dylan up to the boys' room and Hannah took his hand right away. They're building a castle."
"I know Jason wants to meet her too. I should go find him," Lyla said as she stood up.
"I sent Dad and Matt down to find them," Julie responded.
Lyla sat back down and looked over at the baby. She had missed out on Tim and Tyra's baby both times around. She wasn't going to let them miss out on all of her daughter's firsts.
"So," Tami began as she lifted the baby up and held her against her shoulder. "Does this baby have a name?"
Lyla let out a light laugh and shook her head. "No. We talked about it all the way down here and we can't agree."
"I like Josie," Jason said as he wheeled into the room.
"And I like Amy," Lyla replied.
"How about Judy?" Eric said.
"Or Lucy?" Matt offered.
"Susie?" Smash added.
"No!" Jason and Lyla shouted together.
"Well I like Gabrielle," Tami said.
"Gabby Street?" Julie asked, wrinkling up her nose.
Lyla laughed and reached over to smooth down the baby's hair. "What is your name, little one?"
"Momma?" a small voice called out.
Lyla looked up at the tiny blonde girl standing in the doorway of the living room. She was looking around with wide eyes as if she couldn't find her mother in the crowd of people. But Lyla knew exactly who her mother was. The child looked like Tyra for all the world.
"Yes, baby," Tyra said, reaching out her arms as Hannah hurried over.
"There lots of boys and only one me. I want a little girl to play with."
Tyra laughed and hugged Hannah to her chest. "Well there's a little girl here," she said, pointing down at the baby. "Maybe you can play with her when she's a little bit older."
"What her name is?" Hannah asked.
Lyla smiled. "Well she's my little girl but she's brand new and we don't know what to name her yet. Do you have any favorite names?"
Hannah climbed down from Tyra's lap and walked around towards Lyla. She stared down at the baby as Tami held the child out for a better view. Finally, Hannah turned and looked up at Lyla.
"I have one name left. You can call it to her."
"She has a list of reserve names for her dolls," Tyra explained.
"Oh, I see," Lyla said, looking at Hannah seriously. "Can you tell me what it is?" She really hoped it wasn't Esmeralda or something. They would have a hard time explaining that one.
"Emma," Hannah said firmly. "Her name Emma." Then she turned to Tim. "You have cookies, Daddy?"
Everyone laughed as Tim bent down and swooped Hannah up into his arms. The sound of stomping feet could be heard as three little boys came charging downstairs into the living room.
"We want cookies!" EJ yelled, the obvious leader of the bunch. He ran over to Matt while Andrew attacked Eric's leg.
Lyla took in Dylan's flushed face, the look of apprehension painted there. Her heart ached as she watched the little boy stare around the room. Then pure peace filled her chest as Dylan slowly walked over to Jason and stood before him, waiting to be picked up.
"Come on up, buddy," Jason said, giving the child a hand. "Hannah was giving us a name for your sister. What do you think of Emma?"
Dylan shrugged and leaned further back against Jason's chest.
Lyla watched Jason's face carefully. "Emma?" she asked softly. Jason nodded.
"Emma," Lyla repeated softly, reaching out to take her daughter as Tami handed her back. It was perfect. Jason, Lyla, Dylan and Emma Street. Her family.
"Come on kids," Tami said, standing up. "Grandma knows where all the best cookies are kept."
Dylan scrambled down from Jason's lap to chase the other kids out to the kitchen. Lyla couldn't have been happier.
"Now this is what Landry would have wanted," Julie said, beaming at the crowd of old friends.
"Good friends and good memories," Smash added.
"It's been too long," Jason said, glancing up at Tim standing next to him.
"Yeah," Tim replied. "And then you go bringing a couple of kids into the mix. Way to warn us, Six."
"Hey, yesterday we thought we were getting one little girl," Jason said, smiling as he looked over at Lyla. "We were a little shocked ourselves."
"He's going to be a real heartbreaker," Eric said, clapping Jason on the shoulder.
"Probably," Jason said.
"You just make sure you keep your son away from my little girl, Streeter," Tim warned.
The room dissolved into laughter again. Grinning, Lyla leaned back into the couch and looked around. It felt so right to be back here again. Almost like they had never left. She only wished Landry could be here with them right now. It would never be the same without him.
Matt walked slowly back up the steps from the basement. The house was quiet-everyone had headed back to their hotel or parents' house for the night. He stopped to pick up a couple of paper plates that were sitting on the kitchen table where the kids had been eating earlier. He pressed the lever to open the lid to the garbage can and sighed. It was stuffed full of garbage from the evening. He loosened the bag from the can and pulled it out, tied it closed and set it on the floor.
Tomorrow was garbage day.
Tomorrow was Landry's funeral.
"Hi, I'm Landry Clarke and I don't play football and my dad is a cop and I'm going to tour the world with Up With People when I'm older."
Matt just stared at the kid standing in front of him, his skin beat red and his hair no longer than an eighth of an inch. The U-Haul hadn't been in front of his grandma's house for more than twenty minutes.
"I am more than happy to be your friend because I know it's hard to come to a new town and if you don't play football, it's going to be hard to break into things here," the kid said, hardly taking a breath between the words.
"Uh, I play," Matt said quietly.
"You?" Landry said. "You play football? I mean, cause you're kind of scrawny and I just didn't take you for a kid who'd play football."
"I played in Oklahoma," Matt explained.
Landry looked him up and down. "What position? Cause you're clearly not on the offensive line. Wide receiver?"
"Quarterback," Matt replied quietly.
"Oh," Landry replied. "Wow-that's too bad."
"Why?" Matt asked. Was this kid against quarterbacks?
"Oh, I mean, I'm sure you're real good and all, but Jason Street is only two years older than you and he's been first string since he started pee wees in the third grade. He started playing with the varsity squad in 8th grade, playing back-up to Tom Reed and Tom, he was real good, but a few times Jason even got to play in an actual game. Yeah, you better just get used to not playing very much at all. I mean, my dad says that Jason Street is going to be in the NFL someday."
Matt just stared at this weird kid.
"So, you're pretty lucky cause I'm gonna be friends with you anyway," Landry added.
"You get anything written?"
Matt looked up to see that Julie had walked into the kitchen. He shook his head. She walked over and slipped her arm around his waist and leaned her head against his arm.
"You'll figure it out," she said. "Can I get you anything?"
Matt shook his head again. He wanted to explain to Julie how he was feeling, but how could he put into words how he felt about Landry. Julie was his wife and he loved her more than almost anything in the whole world.
But not as much as he loved his friend Landry Clarke. He just didn't think he'd be able to live without him.
Joanne Street was just finishing washing the supper dishes when she heard a car pull up in the driveway.
"They're here!" she called to her husband. She headed toward the front door and opened it up to reveal-Buddy Garrity.
"Oh, Buddy," she said as she wiped her damp hands on the towel she was holding. "I thought you were Jason and Lyla."
"Lyla called a couple of minutes to say they were on their way over and asked me to come over," Buddy explained as he walked into the living room.
"Can I get you something, Buddy?" Mitch asked as he walked into the room.
"Sure, Mitch," Buddy replied. "Some tea-or something stiffer if you have it."
Joanne used every ounce of restraint that she had to not roll her eyes. She hadn't seen the kids in months and Jason had been so mysterious on the phone. Something was clearly going on and she wasn't sure she needed the extra drama of Buddy Garrity around when Jason and Lyla got there.
"Damn shame about the Clarke kid," Buddy said as he accepted a bottle of beer from Mitch.
Mitch took a seat on the couch and set down the beer he had brought for himself. "It sure was-I saw Chad down at the bakery yesterday. He seemed like it hadn't really sunk in."
Headlights from Jason and Lyla's car flashed across the front window of the house. Joanne dropped her towel and reached for the door.
She pulled the door open and stepped out, then stopped.
"Oh!" she called as she raised her hand up to clap over her mouth. She wanted to rush over to the car, but she couldn't move.
Lyla was opening the back door and helping a little boy out of a car seat. There was another car seat next to the little boy's.
"Joanne?" Lyla called to her. "Can you give me a hand?"
Joanne nodded, still unable to speak. She walked down the sidewalk to the car where the little boy was standing next to the door. She knelt down next to him as Lyla opened up the hatch in the back of the car and pulled out Jason's wheelchair.
"I'm Dylan," the little boy said.
Joanne just looked at him. He was beautiful. She stared at his big eyes, his dark hair...
"Mom?"
She looked up to find Jason, in his chair, holding a baby in his arms. Lyla was standing behind him.
"Do you want to hold her?" he asked.
She nodded, holding out her arms to her son. She leaned in and took the baby from him. She was so small.
Joanne sank back down to the ground, next to the little boy, with the little girl in her arms. She looked up, first at Jason, then to Lyla and then finally to Buddy and Mitch who had come out and were standing on the front steps.
"Surprise," Lyla said as she smiled at them. "It's a boy..."
"And a girl," Jason finished.
"I'm Dylan," the little boy said again. "And that is my sister, Emma. Right?" He looked back to Lyla for confirmation, who nodded. Then Dylan tilted his head and stared back at Joanne. "Who are you?"
Joanne looked down at Emma sleeping in her arms and then at Dylan. "I'm your grandma," she said as she reached out to stroke the soft skin on his cheek. "I'm your grandma, Dylan."
/tbc/
Disclaimer: All characters who appear in these stories belong to their respective creators, including Imagine Entertainment, NBC Universal Television Studio and Film 44.
Authors' Note: Thanks once again to our fabulous beta, devilc.